Noah K. Murray/The Star-LedgerEssex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. is sworn in to his third term by N.J. Gov. Chris Christie. DiVincenzo's son Joseph (center) held the bible during the ceremony at Historic Essex County Courthouse.

ESSEX COUNTY — Gov. Chris Christie could have gone to any number of swearing-in ceremonies for officials around the state yesterday.

"When you’re governor you get a lot of invitations," Christie said. "This year I decided to accept one."

But instead of lending his GOP gubernatorial aura to a stalwart party ally, he traveled to the heartland of state Democratic politics and officiated at Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo’s swearing in.

"I’m here today because he’s my friend," Christie said of DiVincenzo. "I’m here because I’m proud of the job he’s done the last eight years."

The audience of more than 100, which also witnessed the swearing in of Essex County Clerk Chris Durkin, was filled with some of the biggest names in state politics. Durkin and DiVincenzo were joined at the historic county courthouse by Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Rep. Donald Payne Sr. (D-10th Dist.), Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-Essex), and DiVincenzo’s political mentor, Stephen Adubato Sr.

But the biggest name was Christie, a rising star in the national Republican Party.

After two terms serving under Democratic governors, yesterday was the first time DiVincenzo — known to many as "Joe D" — was sworn in by a governor.

The gesture was more than one of friendship between the men. It signified the shifting landscape of partisan politics as New Jersey faces a historic fiscal emergency, and financial pragmatism occasionally trumps party politics.

DiVincenzo was a vocal supporter of Christie’s 2 percent tax cap and the two will likely be on the same side of a battle this year over pension, health care and civil service reform.

"These are three things that Democrats are not thrilled with," DiVincenzo said after the ceremony, adding, "I know that these things have to be done."

Essex County, which already faces one of the highest property tax rates in the state, is facing an added $22 million in health care and pension costs this year, DiVincenzo said. Without increasing the retirement age as well as employee benefits contributions, DiVincenzo and Christie say the system is headed toward collapse.

"As one of the top Democrats in the state of New Jersey, I supported him on these issues," DiVincenzo said.

Armed with color diagrams, DiVincenzo laid out four projects he’ll be pushing in the coming year — and looking for help from the governor.

First up is a $4 million boathouse on the old Orange Reservoir, where rental boats would be available and Jersey restaurateur Tim McLoone would operate an eatery. DiVincenzo also wants a 90-acre park in Cedar Grove and a county athletic facility built on 12 acres along the Passaic River.

But his biggest plan is to build a "state-of-the-art," 1,400 student vocational school in Newark on the site of the old United Hospital in Newark.

"I know he has a special feeling for Essex County," DiVincenzo later said of Christie, a Newark native who grew up in Livingston. "I did my sales pitch."